House passes sexual assault evidence-tracking bill

The House of Representatives passed a Senate bill on Wednesday that changes how evidence is tracked in sexual assault cases.

Co-sponsored in the House by state Rep. Margo McDermed (R-Frankfort), Senate Bill 1411 provides that the Illinois State Police will establish a sexual assault evidence tracking system conforming to recommendations made by the Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking and Reporting Commission in a report submitted on June 26, 2018. The bill requires that every person who touches a sexual assault kit must report their progress through a system and that the system will be operational no later than one year after the effective date of the Act.

Treatment hospitals, treatment hospitals with approved pediatric transfers, out-of-state hospitals approved by the Department of Public Health to receive transfers of Illinois sexual assault survivors or approved pediatric health care facilities must comply with rules relating to the collection and tracking of sexual assault evidence adopted by the Department of State Police.

"What is important about this bill is that it mandates that everyone who touches the kit reports progress through the system with mandatory reporting," McDermed said.

Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook) and others praised McDermed's work on the bill.

"I want to commend my colleague on her hard work on this bill," Carroll said. "And the effort she put into it. It strongly deserves an aye vote."

"Thank you for your hard work on this bill," said Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee). "It fills a need that was missing, especially for survivors."

The bill passed with 118 Yes votes and zero No votes.

The bill was introduced back in February by State Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) and passed through the Senate back in March.

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